Bioactivity of Ruta graveolens and Satureja montana Essential Oils on Solanum tuberosum Hairy Roots and Solanum tuberosum Hairy Roots with Meloidogyne chitwoodi Co-cultures

As a nematotoxics screening biotechnological system, Solanum tuberosum hairy roots (StHR) and S. tuberosum hairy roots with Meloidogyne chitwoodi co-cultures (StHR/CRKN) were evaluated, with and without the addition of the essential oils (EOs) of Satureja montana and Ruta graveolens. EOs nematotoxic and phytotoxic effects were followed weekly by evaluating nematode population density in the co-cultures as well as growth and volatile profiles of both in vitro cultures types. Growth, measured by the dissimilation method and by fresh and dry weight determination, was inhibited after EO addition. Nematode population increased in control cultures, while in EO-added cultures numbers were kept stable. In addition to each of the EOs main components, and in vitro cultures constitutive volatiles, new volatiles were detected by gas chromatography and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in both culture types. StHR with CRKN co-cultures showed to be suitable for preliminary assessment of nematotoxic EOs

A RELEVÂNCIA DA CONTABILIDADE DE CUSTOS PARA A GESTÃO DE UMA EMPRESA PRESTADORA DE SERVIÇOS DE MÃO DE OBRA NA CONSTRUÇÃO CIVIL

A Contabilidade é surgiu devido à necessidade de registrar os bens do homem, porém ela evoluiu ao longo dos tempos e se tornou essencial para sobrevivência das empresas. Suas demonstrações e relatórios fornecem informações que auxiliam nas ações e decisões de administradores, acionistas ou outras pessoas interessados ou envolvidas em determinada empresa. A Contabilidade de Custos, que é o foco deste trabalho, surgiu pela necessidade específica do setor industrial, porém suas ferramentas se mostraram importantes para várias atividades e diversas áreas. Este trabalho foi elaborado através de um estudo bibliográfico, com a finalidade de estudar a relevância da Contabilidade de Custo na gestão e na tomada de decisão de uma pequena empresa de prestação de serviço de mão de obra no ramo da construção civil. Em seguida, foi demonstrado, através de uma exemplificação, o quanto um custo pode alterar o resultado final de um empreendimento. Daí ficou evidenciada a contribuição que os custos podem promover aos gestores

Overcoming the regulatory hurdles on nanocelluloses is bacterial cellulose absorbed at the intestine?

The potential of nanomaterials in food technology is nowadays well-established. However, their commercial use requires a careful risk assessment, in particular concerning the fate of nanomaterials in the human body. Bacterial NanoCellulose (BNC), a nanofibrillar polysaccharide, has been used as a food product for many years in Asia. However, given its nano-character, several toxicological studies must be performed, according to the European Food Safety Agencys Guidance. Those should especially answer the question on whether nanoparticulate cellulose is absorbed in the Gastrointestinal Tract. This raises the need to develop a screening technique capable of detecting isolated nanosized particles in biological tissues. Here, the potential of a Cellulose Binding Module fused to a Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP-CBM) to detect single bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNC) obtained by acid hydrolysis was assessed. Adsorption studies were performed to characterize the interaction of GFP-CBM with BNC and BCNC. Correlative Electron Light Microscopy was used to demonstrate that isolated BCNC may be detected by fluorescence microscopy. The uptake of BCNC by macrophages was also assessed. Finally, an exploratory 21-day repeated dose study was performed where Wistar rats were daily fed with BNC. The presence of BNC or BCNC throughout the GIT was observed only in the intestinal lumen, suggesting that cellulose particles were not absorbed. While a more comprehensive toxicological study is necessary, these results strengthen the idea that BNC can be considered a safe food additive.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tracking bacterial nanocellulose in animal tissues by fluorescence microscopy

The potential of nanomaterials in food technology is nowadays well-established. However, their commercial use requires a careful risk assessment, in particular concerning the fate of nanomaterials in the human body. Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), a nanofibrillar polysaccharide, has been used as a food product for many years in Asia. However, given its nano-character, several toxicological studies must be performed, according to the European Food Safety Agency’s guidance. Those should especially answer the question of whether nanoparticulate cellulose is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. This raises the need to develop a screening technique capable of detecting isolated nanosized particles in biological tissues. Herein, the potential of a cellulose-binding module fused to a green fluorescent protein (GFP–CBM) to detect single bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNC) obtained by acid hydrolysis was assessed. Adsorption studies were performed to characterize the interaction of GFP–CBM with BNC and BCNC. Correlative electron light microscopy was used to demonstrate that isolated BCNC may be detected by fluorescence microscopy. The uptake of BCNC by macrophages was also assessed. Finally, an exploratory 21-day repeated-dose study was performed, wherein Wistar rats were fed daily with BNC. The presence of BNC or BCNC throughout the GIT was observed only in the intestinal lumen, suggesting that cellulose particles were not absorbed. While a more comprehensive toxicological study is necessary, these results strengthen the idea that BNC can be considered a safe food additive.This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020—Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

O projeto de extensão universitária engenharia sustentável e suas ações na Unidade Barreiro da Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais / University extension project “engenharia sustentável” and its actions in unit Barreiro of pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais

Neste estudo foram utilizados métodos para a realização de diagnóstico para a implementação de um Sistema de Gestão Ambiental – SGA – na PUC Minas Barreiro através de uma pesquisa exploratória-descritiva, realizada por questionários de avaliação ambiental da Unidade Barreiro. Foi elaborada uma lista de ações sustentáveis contemplando todas as iniciativas que podem ser adotadas para mitigar ou erradicar as ações prejudiciais ao ambiente. O modelo proposto para a gestão ambiental em uma Instituição de Ensino Superior baseou-se nas boas práticas já aplicadas em outras Universidades Sustentáveis pelo Brasil e no exterior. Na parte do diagnostico foi elaborado um levantamento dos pontos positivos e dos pontos a melhorar tomando como base os questionários aplicados em cada esfera analisada no âmbito da PUC Minas Barreiro. Após diagnóstico deu-se a etapa de elaboração dos planos de ação no que diz respeito a resíduos, agua e energia. Com o objetivo de redução em até 30% de água e energia. 

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Proteomics in Patients with Suspected Lung Cancer

All experiments including MS analysis were supported by Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia project EXPL/DTP-PIC/0616/2013. RM is supported by FCT investigator program 2012 (IF/01002/2012). ASC is supported by grant SFRH/BPD/85569/2012 funded by Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia.Lung cancer configures as one of the deadliest types of cancer. The future implementation of early screening methods such as exhaled breath condensate analysis and low dose computed tomography (CT) as an alternative to current chest imaging based screening will lead to an increased burden on bronchoscopy units. New approaches for improvement of diagnosis in bronchoscopy units, regarding patient management, are likely to have clinical impact in the future. Diagnostic approaches to address mortality of lung cancer include improved early detection and stratification of the cancers according to its prognosis and further response to drug treatment. In this study, we performed a detailed mass spectrometry based proteome analysis of acellular bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples on an observational prospective cohort consisting of 90 suspected lung cancer cases which were followed during two years. The thirteen new lung cancer cases diagnosed during the follow up time period clustered, based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data, with lung cancer cases at the time of BAL collection. Hundred and thirty-tree potential biomarkers were identified showing significantly differential expression when comparing lung cancer versus non-lung cancer. The regulated biomarkers showed a large overlap with biomarkers detected in tissue samples.publishersversionpublishe

Is the proteome of bronchoalveolar lavage extracellular vesicles a marker of advanced lung cancer?

Funding: R.M. is supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (CEEC position, 2019–2025 investigator). This article is a result of the projects (iNOVA4Health—UID/Multi/04462/2013), supported by Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This work is also funded by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Programme and National Funds through FCT—Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the projects number PTDC/BTM-TEC/30087/2017 and PTDC/BTM-TEC/30088/2017. This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance Margdarshi Fellowship (grant number IA/M/15/1/502023) awarded to A.P. B.C.-S., M.C.S.C. and C.B. are supported by the Champalimaud Foundation and the EMBO Installation Grant 3921.Acellular bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) proteomics can partially separate lung cancer from non-lung cancer patients based on principal component analysis and multivariate analysis. Furthermore, the variance in the proteomics data sets is correlated mainly with lung cancer status and, to a lesser extent, smoking status and gender. Despite these advances BAL small and large extracellular vehicles (EVs) proteomes reveal aberrant protein expression in paracrine signaling mechanisms in cancer initiation and progression. We consequently present a case-control study of 24 bronchoalveolar lavage extracellular vesicle samples which were analyzed by state-of-the-art liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). We obtained evidence that BAL EVs proteome complexity correlated with lung cancer stage 4 and mortality within two years´ follow-up (p value = 0.006). The potential therapeutic target DNMT3B complex is significantly up-regulated in tumor tissue and BAL EVs. The computational analysis of the immune and fibroblast cell markers in EVs suggests that patients who deceased within the follow-up period display higher marker expression indicative of innate immune and fibroblast cells (four out of five cases). This study provides insights into the proteome content of BAL EVs and their correlation to clinical outcomes.publishersversionpublishe

Occurrence of Autoimmune Diseases Related to the Vaccine against Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is an infectious disease, endemic in South America and Africa. This is a potentially serious illness, with lethality between 5 and 40% of cases. The most effective preventive vaccine is constituted by the attenuated virus strain 17D, developed in 1937. It is considered safe and effective, conferring protection in more than 90% in 10 years. Adverse effects are known as mild reactions (allergies, transaminases transient elevation, fever, headache) and severe (visceral and neurotropic disease related to vaccine). However, little is known about its potential to induce autoimmune responses. This systematic review aims to identify the occurrence of autoinflammatory diseases related to 17D vaccine administration. Six studies were identified describing 13 possible cases. The diseases were Guillain-Barré syndrome, multiple sclerosis, multiple points evanescent syndrome, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, autoimmune hepatitis, and Kawasaki disease. The data suggest that 17D vaccination may play a role in the mechanism of loss of self-tolerance